Kansas City Missouri

The city is well known for its contributions to the musical styles of jazz and blues as well as to cuisine.The Kansas City Barbecue Society reports that KC has more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation. Jazz has been a staple of the KC music scene since the 1920s with artists like Count Basie, Bennie Moton and Jay McShann. Charlie “Bird” Parker, who was born in Kansas City, Kan., grew up during this era.

Housing
In 2010, Money Magazine ranked 3 of the metro area’s cities in the top 30 places to live.

The average price per square foot for Kansas City, MO was $68, an increase of 17.2% compared to the same period last year. The average listing price for homes for sale was $201,180 for the week ending May 23. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 2.6%, or $2,015, and the number of home sales decreased 46.4%.

Historical Home Price Appreciation
Last Quarter -0.78%
Last Year -0.7%
Last 5 Years -3%
Last 10 Years 23%
Last 20 Years 92%
Last 30 Years 132%
Decline From All Time High 5.65%

Business
Walt Disney opened his first animation studio in Kansas City, Laugh-O-Gram Studios. He fed a small mouse in the building, which he later said was his inspiration for Mickey Mouse.

The Country Club Plaza opened in 1922 as the nation’s first shopping district designed for the automobile.

Local advertising agency Bernstein-Rein invented the Happy Meal for McDonald’s after the owner noticed his son staring at the cereal box during breakfast.

By 1949, 86 factories were manufacturing garments in KC. It was said that one in seven American women wore clothing made here.

Food and Agriculture:
* Russell Stover Candies – The largest maker of boxed chocolates in the world has been based here since 1932. Russell Stover Candies still hand dips more than 25 million pieces of chocolate each year.
* Applebees
* Wishbone Dressing
* Dairy Farmers of America – Largest dairy co-op in the US
* Interstate Bakeries, which makes Twinkies and Wonder Bread

Science & Healthcare
* Cerner Corporation – Healthcare information technology, Fortune 1000 company
* Stowers Institute for Medical Research – established by a donation from founders of American Century

Misc
* Hallmark Cards – in 1910, Joyce Hall began selling postcards out of a shoebox in KC. Today, his company has grown to the world’s largest greeting-cards maker.
* Crayola
* AMC – movie theater company, Fortune 1000 company